Calif. reserve police officers risk lives for no pay

Most reserve officers are in it for community service, love of the job, or trying to get hired

San Jose Mercury News

BURLINGAME, Calif. — On most days, you can find Chris Zwingle in his commercial pilot's uniform behind the controls of a 767 jetliner. But at least once a month, he puts on a different set of blues — those of a police officer — and hits the streets on patrol. Call it extreme volunteering.

The Burlingame resident is among the thousands of reserve police officers in California, many of whom have the same training as full-time cops but work as unpaid volunteers.